Crown Withdraws Charges vs. Filipino Businesswoman

Volume 1, Issue No. 16

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . 

Our latest as of Thursday, December 12, 2019 

~ From what could be gleaned from pre-trial testimonies of witnesses, the Filipino businesswoman and an industry colleague appear to be the target of a seeming conspiracy that led to their indictment for human trafficking and misrepresentation. Midway through the process, Crown prosecutors opted to reverse their position. On Wednesday, December 11, 2019, they formally withdrew the cases against Ms. Liwayway Miranda aka Lily Hammer and a mushroom industry colleague for lack of evidence.

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LACK OF EVIDENCE AGAINST LILY MIRANDA

Prosecutors Drop Charges vs. Businesswoman

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ 

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"Truth is generally the best vindication against slander". - Abraham Lincoln

TORONTO - "Okay," Superior Court Justice A. O'Marra says in response to the motion by a Crown prosecutor.

With that nod, all the human trafficking charges and misrepresentation against Liwayway Miranda, a.k.a. Lily Hammer, and a farm owner were dropped on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, more than a year after the two were accused by immigration authorities and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

"Okay," Ms. Miranda's lawyer repeats, stating nothing else but to agree to the prosecutor and the judge to let go of the charges that had wrecked a promising business venture, ruined reputations, and destroyed the life situation of hundreds of employees in mushroom farms in Ontario.

Once the judge declared his approval, Ms. Miranda and a dozen supporters and former employees exited the courtroom at 361 University Ave., the smiles on their faces betraying their happiness in witnessing her total absolution.

The chill outside the building did not matter to them; they posed for pictures, agreed to be interviewed by mainstream reporters, talked loudly among themselves recalling how the cases impacted them and their families in many ways. 

Then they walked to the nearest coffee shop, and a little later, to a Korean restaurant where they had lunch. The conversations were interminable.

The Crown's move to withdraw was the clearest indication it had no proof to try Ms. Miranda, owner of A&L Hammer Workforce Management, on charges she had engaged in illegal recruitment of workers.

Similarly, charges were also dropped against Laxman Marsonia, owner of Sharon Mushroom Farm, where six Filipinos recruited by Ms. Hammer worked as mushroom pickers.

The disgruntled workers were the sole source of information against Ms. Miranda and the farm owner. The six had executed testimonies before an unlicensed paralegal who compiled them in a binder and sent to CBSA. It was the information in the binder that became the basis for CBSA to file the charges. (Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved).